5. Stockport County: 37 pts.; 6,139 avg. attendance (up 8.8%). The Greater Manchester-based Stockport County are one of four English Football clubs to be fully owned by their supporters (the other three are AFC Telford United, AFC Wimbledon, and FC United of Manchester). Manager Jim Gannon has shown that County have a real chance of back-to-back promotions. Craig Davies: 5 league goals, 6 overall (English-born Welsh international). 6. Oldham Athletic: 37 pts.; 5,846 avg. attendance (up 9.8%). English-born former Irish international Jim Sheridan has the Latics back in the playoff places in this his third season at the helm. Lee Hughes: 11 league goals (former West Bromwich striker, before his 2004 conviction and imprisonment for causing death by dangerous driving). 7. Peterborough United: 37 pts.; 6,872 avg. attendance (up 14.6%). Sir Alex’s son Derek Ferguson continues to keep the Posh on an upward course; they seem headed for the League Championship in the next few seasons. Craig Mackail-Smith: 14 league goals, 16 overall (ex-St. Albans and Dagenham & Redbridge). 8. Tranmere Rovers: 33 pts.; 5,666 avg. attendance (down 12.9%). Manager Ronnie Moore needs to keep the Merseyside club on a more even keel this season. Last season, Rovers started out strong then faded. Ryan Shotton: 4 league goals, 5 overall (defender on loan from Stoke City).

9. Leeds United: 32 pts.; 18,990 (down 12.5%). The huge West Yorkshire club is at a very low point in the club’s history. Sunday, the club sacked manager Gary McAllister, after a run of 5 straight losses (including an FA Cup 2nd Round match versus the tiny Non-League club Histon) {see this}. Many supporters may feel Leeds are too big for the 3rd division, but it looks like they are going to have to get used to it for at least another season. Jermaine Beckford: 12 league goals, 19 overall (released by Chelsea, he made his mark at Isthmian League club Wealdstone, where he netted 35 times in 40 games; has chosen to stay with Leeds rather than join a club in the upper divisions). 10. Huddersfield Town: 32 pts; 12,819 avg. attendance (up 36.5%). This is the West Yorkshire club’s Centenary season. Special 100-pound season ticket offers have swelled the gate figures, and Town are in decent form, especially considering the recent managerial change. Ex-Norwich City assistant coach Lee Clarke is the new manager. Gary Roberts: 5 league goals, 7 overall (on loan from Crewe Alexandra). 11. Hartlepool United: 29 pts.; 3,762 avg. attendance (down 16.5%). Speaking of coaching changes, Pools has a caretaker manager, Chris Turner. Joel Porter: 7 league goals, 12 overall (Australian international; with Hartlepool since 2003, with 40 goals). 12. Northampton Town: 28 pts.; 5,195 avg. attendance (down 4.0%). Manager is Stuart Gray. Last season, the Cobblers under Gray had their highest finish in a decade, at 9th in League One. Adebayo Akinfenwa: 6 league goals, 8 overall (the London-born striker played for 8 clubs, including the Lithuainian club FK Atlantas, before joining Northampton this season).

Here are the other top scorers in League One…Rickie Lambert (Bristol Rovers): 18 league goals (Merseyside-born; acquired from Rochdale). Simon Cox (Swindon Town): 13 league goals, 16 overall (Reading-born; came up through Reading’s youth system). Danny Graham (Carlisle United): 11 league goals, 12 overall (born and raised in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear; started with Middlesbrough).

Thanks to European Football Statistics {Click here (set at 2007-’08 English Football League gate figures) }. Thanks to Tony’s English Football Site {Click here}.

Thanks to Historical Football Kits, for the kits on the map {Click here}.